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THE 

AMERICAN NATURALIST. 

Vol. xxin.— FEBRUARY, 1884.— No. 2. 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE WAR CUSTOMS OF THE 

OSAGES, 

GIVEN BY RED' CORN (hAPA DUXSe), OF THE/TSIDU PEACE-MAKING 
GENS, TO THE REV. jroWENMDORSEY. 

Introduction. 

JN order to obtain a better understanding of the subject, it will 
be necessary for the writer to describe the order in which the 
Osages encamped in their tribal circle. When they went on their 
buffalo hunt in the summer they always pitched their tents in a 
certain order, according to the clans or gentes of which the tribe 
was composed. In tli£ first diagram seven gentes camp on the 
left, and fourteen, considered as seven at present, on the right. 
Those on the left are the Tsi'ou or Chee'-zhoo gentes, forming 
the peace element of the tribe; those on the right are the Hafi'-ka 
and Wa-Da'oe (War-shar'-shay)^ gentes, constituting the war ele- 
ment. The former could not take animal life of any sort, but 
were obliged to content themselves with vegetable food, till they 
made an agreement with those on the right to supply them with 
vegetable food in exchange for meat, which the Hah-ka and 
Wa-oa-oe could obtain. 

The Tsi-Du (Chec-zhoo) gentes are as follows : i. Those who 
wear tails or locks of hair on the head. 2. Buffalo bull face. 3. 
Chee-zhoo peace-makers or red eagle. 4. Those who carry the 
sun on their backs, sun carriers. 5. Night people, or the 

' Wa-oa-oe or Wa-zha-zhe, means Csagc, The exact pronunciation cannot ])e 
shown by ordinary English characters. Hence the "c" = "sh'' is inverted to 
sliow a sound between " sh " and " zn." 



VOL. XVIII. — NO. II. 



ANTHROPOLOGiCAL SOCIETY 
OP WASHINGTON, D. C. 






U 



114 An account of the War Customs of tlie sages. [February 

youngest Chee-zhoo. 6. Bufifalo bull ; and 7. Thunder people^ 
or those who camp behind. 

The gentes on the right are now in seven groups, the seven 
Wa-zha'-zhe gentes having been consolidated into two groups, 
and the seven Hafi-ka gentes into five groups. Before this con- 
solidation was made, the tribe consisted of the seven Chee-zhoo 
fire-places or gentes on the left, and the seven Wa-zha-zhe fire- 
places on the right. 

The following are the groups on the right, according to two 
authorities. Saucy chief and He-who-never-fails : 8. Elder 
Osages, including six of the Wa-zha-zhe fire-places. 9. Han-ka 
apart from the rest. 10. Ponka peace-makers (the leading gens 






I-'lC I. — Osa^f Irib.il ciiclc ami tlic tents nf the mourners. 

on this side, as the Chcc-zhoo peace-makers arc on the left) ; 
they form a Wa-ziia-/,hc fire-place. 1 1. Han-ka having wings, an 
eagle gens. 12. I^lack bear. 13. IClk. 14. Kansas, pipe-light- 



1884.] An account of the War Customs of the Osages. 1 15 

ers, or wind people. All but Nos. 8 and 10 are Han-ka fire- 
places. 

The line drawn through the circle denotes the road traveled by 
the tribe. This forms the boundary between the two half-tribes. 

The following accounts of the Osage war customs are necessa- 
rily incomplete, being obtained from a member of the principal 
peace gens. Moreover, there are customs peculiar to each gens, 
which are not familiar to members of other gentes. 

There are three kinds of war parties among the Osages. The 
first is the large war party, undertaken in the summer. The next 
the sacred bag war party, in which only a few engage at any sea- 
son. The third is called " tsi'-ka-kha'," undertaken at any time, 
being an expedition after the horses and other property of the 
enemy. 

T. — A Large War Party (Tu-ta°'-hu Tan'ka). 

When a man on the left side of the tribal circle is mourning 
for one of his family, he selects a man from the right side of the 
tribe to mourn with him, and to be the real leader of the expe- 
dition. Let us suppose that the first mourner is a Chee-zhoo 
peace-maker man. He must present the other man, whom we 
will call a Hanka (in full, Hafika-apart-from-the-rest), with one 
of his best horses. Then the Cheezhoo chooses a kettle-bearer 
for himself, and this kettle-bearer builds a small lodge {D, Fig. i) 
for his friend. It is on the west side of the village, and is made 
of two buffalo robes. The door faces the west. A similar lodge 
{E) is built for the Hanka mourner, by his kettle-bearer, on the 
right side of the circle, and towards the west, as in the figure. 
Each mourner stays alone in his lodge, seeing no woman. 

As the Chee-zhoo is a peace gens, it has no war customs per- 
taining to it, so the Chee-zhoo mourner has to apply to a man of 
the first gens, Lock-wearers, to act as his teacher. The Lock- 
wearers and Buffalo-bull -face people are the soldiers or policemen 
of the Chee-zhoo peace-makers. Should the mourner fail to ob- 
tain a man of the first gens, he must ask one of the second gens, 
Buffalo-bull-face people, to instruct him. The Hafika mourner 
must select his teacher from one of the soldier gentes on his side, 
Elder Osages or Hanka apart from the rest. 

Within four days of the time for departure, the mourners 
return to the village and begin their preparations. The Hanka 
mourner directs his teacher to select the time and place for 



1 16 An account of iJie War Customs of the Osagcs. [February, 

the final ceremonies. Whereupon the teacher goes to one of the 
heralds (an Elk or Kansas man), telling him to proclaim the news 
around the village. 

All the people who wish to see the ceremonies take a sufficient 
number of tents and remove to the place outside the village, 
pitching their tents in a circle. The large tent of the Cheezhoo 
is put up on the left, at A, Fig. 2, and the corresponding tent of 
the right side is pitched at B. The latter is the leading tent when 




Fig. 2. — Plan of war tent. 

the deceased belongs to the left side, and the former is the lead- 
ing tent when the deceased belongs to the right side of the tribe. 
The leading side and tent must always be opposite to that to 
which the deceased belongs. The Cheezhoo peace maker men, 
being of the gens of the mourner, lead all the men on their side 
of the tribe, who assemble at the tent A. So the Hanka men load 
all the men on their side, who meet at B. 

Each mourner receives a war pipe and a forked stick on which 
he can hang the bag in which the pipe is kept. The pipe is an 
old one handed down from preceding generations. .Such pipes 
are always kept by those men who have taken a degree in the 
secret order of the tribe. The drum used on this occasion is 
made by a man of the Sun-carrier gens. Two battle standards 
are maile for each iiunirncr by an old man of the ICKlcr Osage 
gens (I""ig. 3). One on each side lias seven feathers, and is reck- 
oned as the superior one ; ami the other has six. The bottom of 
each standard terminates in a sharj) point, which is used as a 
spear. When the two teachers ask the l"'Jder Osage man to 
make the slandarils, they hand him a new knife, some paint, ami 
all other materials required for tlniii. When he finishes tlum 
the knife and the remaining materials belong to him. At the 



1884.J An account of tlic War Customs of the Osages. 



117 



same time the teachers give him some calico to pay him for his 
trouble. When the standards are completed, the old man says : 
" O Hanka and Cheezhoo, as you have paid me, take the stand- 
ards quickly !" The Cheezhoo teacher takes his in his left hand, 





Fig. 3. — Battle standards. 

and the Haiika extends the right hand for his standards. Then 
they lay down the standards before them. 

Then the general war tent of the tribe (Figs. 2 and 4) is erected 
at C, facing the west, the place of honor being at the rear, towards 
the east. 

All the principal men of each side, including the head men of 
the gentes, who are a sort of priests, meet in the war tent, C. 
There the drum beats. At the rear of the tent are seated the 
principal old men, one for each gens. The two mourners are 
still outside. By and by the mourners are brought into the tent, 
in which there is no fire. The two bags containing the war pipes 
are hung on their necks. 

For this occasion two war bags are made of the feathers and 
skins of war eagles by some of the old men. These bags are 
now brought into the tent by the teachers, who present tliem to 
the mourners. The old men who made the bags now choose two 
or three men for each mourner, to act as Wa-sha'-pe wa'-shu- 



I i8 An accon7it of the War Customs of the Osages. [February, 

wa'-kdhe, whom we may style lieutenants {though that is hardly 
the translation). These men drop their blankets and wear noth- 
ing but their breech-cloths as they stand in a row with their 
mourners. The old men who made the bags select a herald for 
each mourner out of any gens. These stand next to the lieuten- 
ants. Each lieutenant and herald receives a war pipe. The 
Cheezhoo herald receives in his left hand a knife with the han- 
dle painted red. The Hanka herald receives in his right hand a 
hatchet with the handle reddened. 

Then the Haiika mourner {^B) is brought to the front, and is 
told to select the best men on the Cheezhoo side for standard 
bearers. He chooses one (A), leading him to the front, the latter 
crying as he goes. To the latter is handed a standard with seven 
feathers by Cheezhoo's teacher. It is received in the left hand 
and the man performs a war dance according to his own desire or 
cu.stom, and then he takes his seat. Then the Cheezhoo mourner 
is called to the front, being told to select the best man from the 
Hanka side for standard-bearers. The first that he chooses (/) is 
taken to the front, crying as he goes. Hanka's teacher hands 
him the other standard with seven feathers, which is received in 
the right hand. He dances, and sits down. Hanka's mourner 
selects a man from the opposite side {F) to carry the standard 
with six feathers ; and Cheezhoo's mourner chooses a Haiika 
man (A^) for a similar office. When the Hanka mourner selects 
the third man on the Cheezhoo side {G), the latter takes the stand- 
ard from E, dances, and returns it to its holder. So when the 
Cheezhoo mourner selects the third man on the Hanka side (A), 
the latter takes the standard from /, dances, ami returns it. The 
fourth standard-bearer on the Cheezhoo side (//) takes the stand- 
ard from /% dances, and returns it. And the fourth man on the 
Hanka side {M) takes the standard from /v', to whom he returns 
it after dancing. 

Then the lieutenants are painted with charcoal. Before this is 
done, the IMack bear people make a fire outside the war tent, 
placing on it a (juantity of small willows which will soon burn. 
When these are charred, they are broken in small pieces and 
placed in pans, with a little water in each. V.\c\\ lieutenant on 
the Cheezhoo side dips his hands into a pan, rubs them together, 
and then with his left palm he rubs his face, beginning at the 
right ear, and going down the cheek, across the mouth and left 



1884] Ah account of the War Customs of the Osages. 



119 




9 1 



to o 



7^ n 



n "n Q I 




I20 A// account of the War Customs, of the Osagcs. [February, 

cheek to the ear. Next he rubs his right pahn across his left 
shoulder, bringing the mark a Httlc to the front. Rubbing more 
charcoal on his hands, he places his left p:Um on his right shoul- 
der, bringing the mark slightly to the front. With his right palm 
he makes a round mark on the chest, over the depression be- 
tween the two parts of the sternum. 

The lieutenants on the Hafika side proceed in a similar man- 
ner, but in reverse order, beginning with the right hand and end- 
ing with the left in making the round mark over the breast bone. 

These men are now enlisted, and cannot sit down till night 
comes and the other warriors have lain down. The lieutenants, 
heralds, and standard-bearers can neither eat nor drink till they 
receive permission. 

After the lieutenants finish painting, the two heralds are or- 
dered to arise, one standing on the Clieezhoo mourner's left, the 
other on the Hafika mourner's right. They are sent from the 
tent, being ordered to go about a hundred yards from the village, 
and then run around it. They start from the west, Cheezhoo's 
herald going towards the north, and the other man running to 
the south. When the Checzhoo man gets due north, and 'the 
Hanka is opposite him, the former cries to the latter: " O Hafika, 
he says that you will cause the spirits of the animals to pass 
along! He says that you must c lus^* the s[)irits of the animals 
to pass along at sunset! " To this the Hanka man replies, " O 
Chcezhoo, he says that you must cause the spirits of the animals 
to pass along ! I Ic says that you must cause the spirits of the ani- 
mals to pass along at sunset !" Just before they reach the cast, they 
cry again, Checzhoo speaking first. When they pass the east the 
Checzhoo man goes outside of the other's course, keeping to the 
left of the latter. When the Clieezhoo reaches the south, and 
the Hanka is at the north, they cry again ; and so when they re- 
tirn to the west. Then the l.uge war tent (6^) is taken down. 

The Hanka mourner tells the Chcezhoo mourner and standard- 
bearers to collect their warriors, while he and his standard-bear- 
ers do likewi.se on the Hanka side. All the Chcezhoo men of the 
seven gontes have to i)rc|)are for the four days' dances. They 
also have to furnish a ilrum. They meet in ihcir large tent (//) 
at the back of v/hich are .seated the four standard-bearers (/f, F, 
6' and //). The man who has the standanl with .seven feathers 
(/:") is the principal one, so he sits on the left of the one with six 



1 884-] ^fi account of tJie War Custovis of the Osagcs. 121 

feathers {F"). The standards are held with the feathers facing the 
west. The rest of the men sit around the tent. Then E selects 
all the young men who are to sit with the party as warriors, and 
the adult kettle-bearers, who prepare food for them. Of these 
latter there are from ten to twenty, no fixed number, and they 
have a separate camp. Next E selects about six youths who are 
fast runners, to act as kettle-bearers who give water to the war- 
riors. The man who cooked for the mourner at the first, and 
made the small lodge for him, is the leader of the kettle-bearers 
on his side. 

A man of the Sun-carrier gens is requested to make the drum 
for the party. He is furnished with the requisite implements, and 
gets a piece of calico as his pay. In the meantime the Hafika 
standard-bearers are doing similar things, but in a different order. 
In the Hafika tent (/>) the man with the seven feather standard 
(/j sits on the right of the other, who has that with six feathers 
{K). No. 3 (Z) is on the right of /, and No. 4 (i/) is on the left of 
K. The adult kettle-bearers and the kettle-bearers who give 
water are chosen by the holder of the principal standard (/). A 
Sun-carrier man is hired to make the drum. 

Then follows a dance around the village, while tjie two Sun- 
carrier men are making the drums. Prior to this dance the men 
of each party try to get ready and rise to their feet before the 
others. The mourners, lieutenants and heralds keep at a short 
distance from the singers and dancers. At each tent (/i and B) a 
standard is raised. In modern times this is the U. S. flag. ^ 

The principal kettle-bearer on each side carries one of the flags, 
and he is followed by the rest, including the kettle-bearers or ser- 
v^ants of both kinds. (See Fig. 5.) After the two parties pass 
each other, they walk in silence for about fifty yards, when the 
drums are sounded for another dance. (These drums are prob- 
ably those which were used at the war tent C, as the new drums 
are not yet finished.) The dance is accompanied by a war song. 
Then they go silently as before ; and so on till they arrive at the 
rear of the village. They sing and dance as they pass each other 
the second time; and so on till they return to the tents at the west. 
Then they have a dance, in which they tell what they expect to do 
when they meet the enemy. This must not be confounded with 
the bravery dance, which takes place afterward, according to Red 
Corn. 



122 An account of the War Customs of the Osages. [February, 

« 

After this each mourner or war captain gives to his principal 

kettle-bearer a horse, which the ser\'ant sells to the man who will 
give the most food for it. The food is brought in and cooked by 
the adult kettle-bearers. The women are invited to a feast, but 
the men eat none of the food. Each woman brings a bowl of 
flour, coffee, etc. The kettle-bearers run to meet them, take the 
food and place it in a heap. At the end of the feast the empty 
bowls are handed to their owners. The food brought by the 
women is cooked and the men have their feast. Should the sup- 
ply be insufficient another horse is sold for food, the women are 
invited to another fea.st, and they give more food in return for the 




Fig. 5. — Dance around the Village. 

men to cat. The dance is continued througii the day, till about 
half an hour before sunset. 

Then they dance the U-dhu'-ta wa-tsi'" or circle dance, in which 
the Chec/.hoo men dance from the west to the north, thence to 
the east and south, and round to the west again. The men on 
the other siile go in the ojiposite direction. In this dance the 
first standard-bearer on the liafika side tells one of his exploits 
in a song, as he dances. He is followed by the leading Chce- 
zhoo standard-bearer. The principal I lanka standanl-bearer sings 
and dances again, and is followed, as before, by tiie first Chee- 
zhoo standard-bearer. So the two sing and dance in turn till 
they have sung about twelve songs, A whoop is made and the 
men march a short distance to perform the dance called the bra- 



1884.] An account of the War Customs of the Osages. 



123 



very dance. They meet in front of the large Hanka tent (5), and 
the flag is hoisted (Fig. 6). All sit out of doors, forming a figure like 
a capital U, at the base of which 
are the standard-bearers. Next 
to them sit the warriors, and the 
kettle-bearers sit at the ends. 
The leading Hanka standard 
bearer (/) arises, sings and dances 
a little to the west, and then back 
to his place, when he resumes his 
seat. He is followed by the first 
Cheezhoo standard-bearer {E), 
after whom dances the second 
Hanka standard-bearer {^K\ who 
is succeeded by the Cheezhoo of 
the same rank {F). Next come 
the third Hanka and Cheezhoo 
men {L and G), then the fourth 
pair (il/and H). Then the warri- 
ors dance in like manner. When 
they have finished the kettle- 
bearers may dance if they desire. 
This ends the dances for the first day. Then the heralds make 
another circuit of the village, starting from their respective tents, 
A and B. After this the war captains, warriors and servants sit 
and rest, smoking and talking till it is time to sleep. The princi- 
pal standard-bearer on each side {E, I) calls his war captain, tell- 
ing him that on the morrow, just at daybreak, they must make 
the mysterious charcoal. Then the Hanka standard-bearer, /, 
tells his captain to inform the men that they can lie down. So 
one of the Hanka lieutenants cries over to those in the other 
camp : " Halloo, lieutenants !" One of the Cheezhoo lieutenants 
replies, " What is it ?" The Hanka man says, " Ho ! ye adult ket- 
tle-bearers, ye young kettle-bearers and ye standard-bearers ! it is 
said that you shall sleep !" The Cheezhoo replies, " O, grand- 
father, it is well !" Then he addresses the men on his own side, 
but in a loud voice, so that those on the other side may hear, too: 
" Ho, O comrades, standard-bearers ! Ho, O comrades, ye adult 
kettle-bearers! Ho, O comrades, ye young kettle-bearers! it is 
said that ye shall sleep !" Then the Hafika lieutenant calls again, 
" Ho, O lieutenant!" The Cheezhoo says, "What is the matter?" 




Bravery dance. 



124 ^'^ account of the I Far Customs of the sages. [Februarx-, 

The Hanka says, " O war captains and ye lieutenants ! it is said, 
O comrades, that you shall sleep !" The Cheezhoo replies, " It 
is well, O grandfather!" Then he addresses the mourners and 
lieutenants on both sides, " Ho, O comrades, ye war captains ! Ho, 
O comrades, ye lieutenants ! it is said that ye shall sleep !" Then 
the Hanka cries again, " Ho, O lieutenant!" The Cheezhoo says, 
" O my grandchild ! to-morrow you shall cause them, it is said, 
to attend to their duties." The Cheezhoo replies, " O grand- 
father, it is well !" Then he says to all, " O comrades, to-mor- 
row I will cause you to attend to your duties!" This ends the 
ceremonies and proclamations for the night. 

On the second day the Cheezhoo men precede the Haiika men 
in every rite, one of their number being the master of ceremo- 
nies for the day. On the pre\-ious evening members of the Dhu'- 
khe sub-gens of the Buffilo-bull gens brought in bunches of dried 
willow, which were laid out of sight by some of the men on the 
Hanka side. Before daylight, on the second day, all the men 
arise, and the men of the Night gens (who are a sort of bear peo- 
ple) set the willows afire; while the fire burns, long prayers are 
made by the men of the Night and Elder Osage gentes. At the 
end of a song they see who can get some of tjie fire. In the 
struggle which ensues the pieces of willow are crushed to pieces. 
This act has a special name. What charcoal each one gets is 
saved till the return to camp. The charcoal symbolizes the ene- 
my. On their return to camp each warrior goes to his place and 
mixes the sacred charcoal with ordinary charcoal, after which he 
paints himself Those who desire go and sing around the village. 
After breakfast they dance around the village all the morning, as 
on the first day. Then they have another feast at about noon. 
They dance the circle and bravery dances, as on the prccetl- 
ing day. At night, just before retiring, one of the Cheezhoo 
lieutenants calls to those on the other side. A Hanka lieutenant 
rcjjlies, "O my grandchild! what is the matter?" Then the 
Cheezhoo says what the J lafika did on the previous night, and 
the Hanka speaks the words used on that occasion by the Chee- 
zhoo. 

On the third da)' the ilafika men precede the CluTzhoo men 
in every rile, as they ditl on the first day, and one of their num- 
ber acts as the officer of tlu- day. The sacred bags of a large 
war parly arc brought in, one b\' a W'a zha-zhe or Osage man for 



18S4.J An account of the War Customs of the Osagcs. 125 

the Hafika side, and one by a member of the Lock-wearer gens 
for the Cheezhoo mourner. 

They dance as on the preceding days. The Hanka m.ourner 
tells the Cheezhoo that on the morrow they will take the first step. 
On the fourth day the Cheezhoo men lead in every rite, as 
they did on the second day. Two narrow strips of buffido hide 
are prepared by an old woman of a Buffalo gens on the Hanka 
side of the circle. These strips are placed side by side on the 
ground, and about two feet apart. The Cheezhoo men place 
their left feet on the rear one, and their right feet on the front one. 
The Hanka men have their right feet on the rear one and advance 
with their left feet on the front one. This is the first step taken 
on the war path. 

The warriors now mount their horses, forming in two columns, 
in each of which they go two abreast. The standard-bearers ride 
in advance. The Cheezhoo column goes once around the vil- 
lage, in the usual course from the west to the north, thence by 
the east and south to the west again. The Hanka column pro- 
ceeds in the opposite direction. They approach one another 
again at the west, and depart westward in parallel columns (Fig. 
7). Their course on the war path is o o f> €1 

supposed to be towards the west. |^ J^ f^ ^l 

When they have gone a certain dis- 
tance from the village a member of * 
the Dhu-khe sub-gens of the Buffalo * 
bull gens is taken to the front, where ♦ 
he performs a rite. At its conclusion ^ 
the march is resumed, and they con- 
tinue on their journey for about four 
days, at the end of which period a ♦ 
small tent is erected for each captain 
or mourner, the door facing the west. 
Each eagle is removed from the sa- * 
• cred bag and placed on top of the 
small tent (on its proper side), facing 
the west. Each captain goes through * 
his tent from east to west, knocking 
down the tent, and causing the eagle 
to fall to the ground. The eagle is re- home, 
stored to its bag. Then all the warriors except the captains, 



W 



Pio. 7. — Order of march towards 



126 An account of the War Customs of the Osages. [February, 

lieutenants and heralds can swim and wash their faces. They 
resume their march, and by and by they meet a foe whom they 
attack. Let us suppose that they kill him. The first man who 
strikes him gets the first honor, and the second honor is given to 
the next who gives a blow. The scalp is handed to the Hafika 
captain, who gives it to the Cheezhoo captain, saying, " Mere is 
that for which you employed me." The corpse is laid with the 
head to the east. The Hanka captain makes a hole on the right 
side of the chest into which is thrust the standard with seven 
feathers of the Hanka men, the feathers pointing to the west. 
The Cheezhoo makes a hole on the left side of the corpse into 
which is stuck the principal Cheezhoo standard. The second 
Maiika standard-bearer places his standard, with six feathers, be- 
tween the right arm and the chest ; and the second Cheezhoo 
standard-bearer puts his between the left arm and the side. 

Should they lose one of their own men at this place, they set 
up the body against a tree or bank, using most of their paint in 
painting him all over. They break four arrows which they lay 
by him, and they leave some paint there. After mourning over 
their own dead, they will mourn for the foe just as if he was a 
friend. At certain intervals (answering to every two or three 
hours, as we reckon time), the standard-bearers tell the captains 
to command the warriors to mourn. Before they reach home all 
the trophies, including the scalps, are placed on a pole, at which 
they charge, firing four times at it.^ 

WMien they have lost one of their party they neither eat nor 
drink till they have poured out food and water for the dead. 
When they come to a post oak they strip it of the bark for about 
five feet from the ground ; they paint the tree red, break four 
arrows and leave them by the tree with some paint. 

When they approach the village, they cannot enter it if they 
have lost any of their party ; but they must stop, in that case, 
about one or two hundred yartls from it. The principal m.m of 

' A iiiinilar custom is pr.icliccd I)y the D.ikot.is when they cut down the ]>olc for 
the sun dance; and the Oin.ilias and l'onk:is charjjeil on the tree ere tlicycut it down 
for their sacrcl pole, more thin two hundred years ago. The Omahas said that 
their p )le, on thit occasion, represented an enemy, and a scalp was put on its head 
in accordance with that notion. A race for a tree also occurs when the Omaha 
young men go to cut down one for thr dance after the thanksgiving for success in 
the buffalo hunt. Further investigation of this custom m.ay reveal other interesting 
facts. 



1884J An accoimt of the War Customs of the Osages. 127 

the Kansas gens knows what is meant. He puts on a robe made 
of bear or buffalo skin, and advances toward the party, with his 
kettle-bearer, till he can hear what they say. He begins the con- 
versation by asking them what is the cause of their halt. Then 
he tell them the news from the village. After this he approaches 
the warriors, going around them, and performing a rite, first at the 
north, then at the west, south and east. Next he addresses the 
Hanka captain, then the Cheezhoo captain, telling whether they 
can enter the village. 

Having gained his consent, they leave all their blankets and 
other clothing, as the pay of the old man and his servant. But 
they retain their weapons. They are met by some of the people, 
who give them other garments. Then the warriors separate. 
The tents A and B are thrown down, and the war tent, C, is set 
up again at the west. 

The final ceremonies are the scalp dance, captive dance (?),^ 
dance in which they take the standards, and the trial over the 
sacred bags. One of the captains may select any one of the three 
dances to the exclusion of the others, or he may have two without 
the standard dance ; but the trial over the sacred bag is never 
omitted. 

The scalp dance. — Previous to this dance, the captain of one side 
gives a horse to his principal kettle-bearer, who sells it for the 
food needed at the feast which precedes the dance. The stand- 
ard-bearers dressed in their finest attire, notify all the women in 
the village : " We wish you to come and dance this afternoon." 
Then the two captains go around the village, saying, " Ho, my 
little sisters ! my comrades ! it is said you must pity me!" Each 
captain walks around the village according to the side of the cir- 
cle in which he camps, and each woman in dancing remembers this 
rule. 

After the women have been called by the captains, the former 
strip to the waist, covering their bosoms with pieces of cloth or 
calico. They pretend to be men, decorating themselves with 
feathers, paint, etc. They are led by one who carries the scalp 
on its pole. She is chosen for that purpose by one of the captains. 
Some women carry bows, others take arrows, some have war 
pipes, and some carry peace pipes. The drummers sit in a small 
circle around the pole. A great warrior arises and tells of his ex- 

^ Takdhe watsi" , in Osage, Its translation is doubtful. 



128 An account of the War Customs of the Osagcs. [February, 

ploits. Then the drum beats, and the women dance. All start 
together, the women of the Cheezhoo gcntes moving in one direc- 
tion, and those of the Hanka gentes in the other, around the pole. 
The successful warriors who are mounted, come in their war 
dress, and gallop around the pole, close to the women, telling of 
their deeds. This dance is continued for about half an hour. 
The trial or ordeal of the sacred bags must follow on the next 
day, unless a captain wishes to have the captive dance, in which 
event it follows. 

The captive dance. — A war captain gives another horse to his 
chief kettle-bearer, who sells it for the food required for feasting 
the guests before the dance. The standard-bearers and captains 
go around the village, as on the preceding day, and the women 
come, as before. The drummers sit around the pole. The dancers 
are led by two men abreast. These used to be men that had gone 
to war afoot. They arc followed by two women, then two men, 
then two women ; and so on. Those who went to war mounted 
come to the dance on their horses. One of the principal men 
tells his story first ; and the horsemen tell their deeds as they 
gallop around the dancers. The dance lasts for about half an 
hour. 'But if the captain prefers, he may substitute the standard 
dance for the captive dance. But if the latter is chosen for the 
second day, and the captain wishes to gain more honor, he gives 
another horse to his chief kettle-bearer, to be sold for food for the 
feast that is held before the Standard dance on the third da\-. 

The Standard dance. — The standards are made like those used 
at the beginning of the e.Kpedition, and they are given to the 
standard-bearers, who dance around the village, two abreast, all 
going in the same direction, followed by the other warriors. 
Having gone around the village, they assemble at a short dis- 
tance from it Awd have the circle dance and bra\er\' dance, as at 
the first. This ends the dancing for that day. 

'J'he J rial over the sacred dags. — The old men assemble in the war 
tvnt, C. The sacred bags are brought in to test the warriors, who 
are watched very closely by the old men. All the old men who 
have been distinguished in war are painted with the tiecorations of 
their respective gentes. Tiiat of the Cheezhoo peace- maker gens 
is as follows: The face is first whitened all over with clay ; then 
a red spot is matle on the forehead, and the lower part of the face 
is reddened. Willi his fingers, the man scrapes off the white clayi 



1 884-] A^i account of the War Customs of the sages. 



129 



forming the dark figures by letting the natural color of the^face 
show through. (See Fig. 8.) 

Each warrior has four sticks about six inches long, to be laid 
in succession on the sacred bag. The warriors are taken in the 
following order : First, the captains, next the lieutenants ; then the 
heralds ; after whom is the man who struck the first blow ; then 
he who hit the second blow ; and so on. 

As each captain lays his first stick on the bag, he says, " Ho, 
O grandfather ! I lay this down on you because I am one who 
has killed a man." On laying down the second, he says, " Ho, 




Fig. 8. — Decoration of the Tsicu Wactake or Cheezhoo peace-maker gens. 

O grandfather ! I wish to be fortunate in stealing horses! I also 
wish our children to be as fortunate as we !" When he puts down 
the third, he says, " Ho, O grandfather ! I wish to raise a domes- 
tic animal, I wish to succeed in bringing it to maturity." By 
this he means a son. The prayer when the last stick is laid down 
is as follows: " Ho, O grandfather! May we continue a people 
without sustaining any injuries !" 

Similar petitions are made by the lieutenants and heralds. He 
who gave the first blow says, as he lays down the first stick, " Ho, 
O grandfather ! I lay down this on you as one who has caused 
another to stun a foe !" The rest of his petitions are those of the 

VOL. XVIII. — NO. II. O 



130 An account of the War Customs of the Osages. [February, 

captains and other men. He who struck the second blow, says 
as follows, on laying down his first stick : " Ho, O grandfather ! 
I place this on you because I was the next one to strike and stun 
a man !" The other petitions follow, as given abo\e. The first 
petition of each of the remaining warriors is as follows: " Ho, O 
grandfather! I lay this on you as a token that I have aided in 
overcoming the foe ! (A provisional translation, as the writer is 
uncertain as to the exact rendering of " wa-yii-khpe," which, judg- 
ing from the meaning of the root khpa and khpe in cognate lan- 
guages, implies pulling dai<.'n a foe.) 

At the conclusion of this trial, the warriors rub the paint off, 
and wash their faces, thus ending the war party. 

II. Sacred Bag War Partv. 

A man mourns alone, putting mud on his face. He comes into 
the village, and selects a man for his first kettle-bearer, who builds 
for him a small lodge apart from the village. The mourner re- 
tires to this lodge, and keeps away from the women. He sends 
his servant, the kettle-bearer, for two men, one on the Hanka side 
of the tribe, the other on the Cheezhoo side, to act as standard- 
bearers. When they come to him, he informs them whither he 
wishes to go, and for what purpose. The three dejiart to invite 
the warriors. Those who are willing can join the party. The 
mourner has a pipe and tobacco, also a sacred bag made of the 
skin and feathers of a bird, given him by his teacher, one of the 
old men belonging to the secret order. 

The servant cleans out the pipe bowl, whicli is filled by the 
mourner. The latter hands the pipe around the circle of guests, 
beginning with two standard-bearers. Last of all the mourner 
smokes. As he hands the pipe to each man, he says. " Grand- 
father, I ask an animal of you." The repl}' is, " Captain, you shall 
have your desire." 

All march a short distance from the villai^c. A small fire is 
made. The tcaclur pcrfornis a ccronioii)- o\cr the mourner, 
and then makes him take the first step on the war path, as has 
been shown in the account of a large war party. Then the old 
teacher departs to the village. The warriors march on. When they 
meet a foe, he who strikes him has the first honor, the second 
who hits him, cuts off his liead. The honor of killing him be- 
longs to the captain or mourner, whether he is the actual slayer 



1884] A?i account of the War Customs of the sages. 



131 



or not; and the whole scalp is his. When they turn back, 
they hasten homeward. Before they reach home, the scalp and 
other trophies are fastened to a pole, charged on and shot at four 
times. 

When the warriors get near the village, they use charcoal for 
painting their faces and the scalp. The young kettle-bearers 
make this charcoal, using willow if they can find any. Then fol- 
low the ceremonies accompanying the cutting off the under skin 
of the scalp. The captain stands facing the east, and if he is a 
member of a gens on the Cheezhoo or left side of the tribe, he holds 
a knife in his left hand. If he belongs to a gens on the Hanka 
.side, he holds the knife in his other hand. Holding the scalp in 




Fig. 9. — Showing how the scalp is prepared for the pole. 

one hand, with the other he places the blade across it, with the 
point towards the south. (Fig. 9.) Then he turns it with the 
point toward the east. Next, with the blade resting on the scalp, the 
point to the south, he moves the knife backward and forward four 
times, cutting deeper into the scalp on each occasion. Then he 
makes four similar cuts, but with the point to the east. After 
this, the flat part of the blade being on the scalp, its edge is put 
against one of the four corners made b}' the previous incisions 
{ I, 2, 3 and 4), beginning with No. i . He cuts under each corner 
four times, singing a sacred song each time that he changes the 
position of the knife. All of the under skin is cut loose by this 
time, and is thrown away. The scalp is stretched and fastened to 
a bow, which is bent and formed into a hoop. This hoop is tied 



132 An acco7int of the War Customs of the Osages. [February, 




to a pole that is carried by the principal kettle- bearer. (See Fig. 10.) 
On reaching the village, they charge around 
it, shouting and giving the war whoop. Such 
of the old men as have been warriors go out 
to meet them, asking who was the first to 
strike a blow, who cut ofTthe head, etc. On 
learning these things, those old men who 
struck foes when they were younger, say in 
a loud voice, that all the people may hear, 
"As I struck a foe, such a one (naming him) 
has done so too !" Others say : " As I cut 
off the head of a foe, such a one (naming him) 
has done so too !" Then follows a feast, 
after which comes the dances which have 
been described. 

During the trial of the warriors over the 
sacred bag, the affirmations and petitions re- 
semble those used by the members of a large 
war party, with only one exception. The 
man who cut off the head of a foe says, when 
he lays down his first stick, " Ho, O grand- 
father ! I lay this down on you as one who has broken off a 
head." 

III. Horse-Stealixg Expedition. 

This can be undertaken at any season. There are as many cap- 
tains as may wish to join the party, luich one of them is a 
mourner for dead kindred, or for stolen property. 

When men wish to steal horses from the enemy, they paint their 
faces with charcoal. 

On such an expedition the customs resemble those of the other 
parties. 

Gem.kai, Rkmauks, Ari'Mc.Mu.E 10 ANV War Party. 

Before attacking the foe, the warriors paint themselves anew. 
This is the " death paint." If any man dies witii this paint on 
him, the survivors do not put on him .\.ny other paint. 

y\ll the gentcs on the Chcezhov") side use " fire jiaint," which is 
red, applying it with the left hand all over the face. They 
use prayers about the fire, saying, " As the fire has no mercy, 
so should we have none." They put mud on the cheek, be- 
low the left eye, and as wide as two or three fingers. On the 



Fig. 10. — Mode of 
mounting a scalp. 



1884.J Infusoiia from Putrid Waters. 133 

Haiika side, they put the mud on the right cheek below the eye. 
This is the young buffalo-bull decoration. With reference to it, 
a man says, " My little grandfather (the young buffalo-bull) is 
always dangerous as he makes an attempt. Very close do I stand, 
ready to go to the attack !" The horse is painted with some of 
the mud on the left cheek, shoulder and thigh, if his rider belongs 
to the Cheezhoo side, but the mud is put on tiie right cheek, 
shoulder and thigh of a horse belonging to a warrior on the Hanka 
side. 

Some warriors, who act like a black bear, paint with charcoal 
alone. (The tradition of the black bear people is, that they brought 
down fire from one of the upper worlds.) 

Some paint in the wind style, some in the lightning style, and 
others in the panther or catamount style. 

:o: 

NOTES ON SOME APPARENTLY UNDESCRIBED 
INFUSORIA FROM PUTRID WATERS. 

BY DR. ALFRED C. STOKES. 

FROM a dead rat which had been lying exposed to the weather 
for an unknown period, but long enough to have had most of 
the abdominal soft parts destroyed, the tail was taken and placed 
to macerate in ordinary river water as supplied the town by 
hydrant. By the third day the infusion teemed with minute life, 
an apparently undescribed Heteromita, which at first glance was 
mistaken for H. caitdata Duj., being particularly abundant. A 
careful examination, however, discovered so many essential points 
of divergence between it and known forms that it seems to de- 
mand recognition as a presumably new species, under the name 
of Heteromita putrina (Figs, i and 2). 

H. paTRiv.\, n. sp. — Body obovate, wider and rounded anteriorly, tapering pos- 
teriorly to a somewhat obtuse point; sur- 
face smooth, endoplasm enclosing sev- 
eral dark bordered refractive particles ; 
nucleus obscure, apparently centrally 
placed in the median line; contractile 
vesicle conspicuous, situated near the 
right lateral margin of the anterior body 
half; the vibratile flagellum but slightly 
exceeding the body in length, the trailing 
gubernaculum about three times as long 
as the zooid, both being of equal size 
and inserted anteriorly. Length of body 

TffiTn to XTTTTT inch. Habitat, the putrid 

^"^ /^ . , . ' Hein-omUaputnim,\\.%\\ X I500- 

water of animal macerations. ^ > i 




Fig. I. Fig. 2. 



134 Notes on some apparently undescribed [February, 

The creature, when in a healthy or comfortable condition, is 
very slightly if at all changeable in shape. When about to die it 
takes a sub-spheroidal form and becomes diffluent, but this stage 
is at times postponed until the animal has passed a short period 
as a granular amceba, with a large and conspicuous contractile 
vesicle, slowly moving by a forward flow of a sarcode wave unac- 
companied by the posteriorly located granules. The motion of 
the Heteromita when swimming is rapid and oscillating, being a 
forward movement by short zig-zags, the animal at the same time 
rotating on its longitudinal axis. 

The anterior vibratile flagellum is ordinarily extremely difficult 
to detect. The zooid, when attached, rests at the extremity of its 
anchoring flagellum, and when viewed dorsally the vibrating lash 
is visible for only the very short distance between its origin and 
the point where it curves to pass beneath the lower or ventral 
surface (as in Fig. i), this part being flexible but apparently not 
vibratile. Even when in a favorable position for its own demon- 
stration, the rapidly-moving filament becomes visible only after 
careful manipulation of the mirror, or after the infusorium has 
been killed by iodine or osmic acid. Small particles are not 
affected by its motion until they have floated past the anterior 
margin of the body, sometimes almost in contact with the surface, 
when they fall into the stream and are dashed upward, at times 
performing a complete circuit around the animal to the starting 
point. If solid food is taken, which I doubt, it must enter through 
the ventral surface. No solid particle has been seen to pass into 
the endoplasm, although I have tried to feed the creatures with 
indigo, and have had the same individuals in a growing-slide for 
four full days surrounded by myriads of bacteria. 

The contractile vesicle pulsates quickly and sharply once every 
nine seconds. The only method of reproduction observed is by 
longitudinal fission. The species here referred to is remarkable 
for its stability of form and for the position of its tractellum or 
vibrating flagellum, the latter peculiarity having been recorded for 
no other member of the genus. 

In the same animal maceration, as the Heteromita- weie disap- 
pearing, many ciliated infusoria were developed, which, according 
to the latest .schemes of classification, can be relegated to the 
genus Tillina only, although, so far as external cont( ur is con- 
cerned, the resemblance is remote. This difference of forpi, h<nv- 



103 Y( 



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